Pressure-tight connector



July 27, 1965 R. HARGETT. 3,197,730

PRESSURE-TIGHT CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 4, 1963 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. Richard L. Hargefl BY [U ATTORNEY.

WW AGENT.

United States Patent 3,197,730 PRESSURE-TEGHT CONNECTQR Richard L.Hargett, Frederick, Md, assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Dec. 4, 1963, Ser. No.328,135

1 Claim. (Ci. 339-102) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government of the United States of America for governmentalpurposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates generally to a high potential cableconnector or detachable coupling for use in a high pressure corrosiveatmosphere. It is more particularly directed toward a new and improvedelectrical connector of this character which may be used under water toprovide a high pressure gas with watertight seal between a pair ofattached insulated armored cables without exerting strain on orotherwise deforming the inner insulation jackets on the individualconductors of the cable which would damage the conductors and tend tovary the electrical characteristics of the cable.

According to this invention a watertight electrical connector assemblyfor armored cables comprises an insulated contact means adapted to beelectrically connected to the conductors of a cable, a first ring membermechanically coupled to the contact means, a second ring member adaptedto be mechanically connected to the armor of the cable, a resilientcollar composed of an insulating material embedding the contact meansand the second ring member to provide a watertight connectiontherebetween, and a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said collar andinterconnecting the two ring members, whereby tension applied to thecable is transmitted through the sleeve and the ring members between thearmor and the contact means and strain on the conductors of the cable isthereby precluded.

Although the invention is illustrated as being embodied in the femalesection of a male and female readily detachable connector for armoredcables it is by no means confined to this particular use.

One of the features and objects of the present invention resides in theprovision of a new and improved cable connector arrangement havingprovision for anchoring and sealing the outer casings of adjoining endsof a pair of armored cables to the connector while also avoiding strainon the electrical connections between the conductors of the cables inresponse to a pullout force sometimes exerted on the cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas and watertight cableconnector for armoured high voltage electrical cables that may be easilyassembled and disassembled by hand and without the use of special toolsor equipment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedconnector for armored electrical cables which is so constructed thatwhen its complementary coupling members are connected the correspondingconductors of the respective cables are not only automatically alignedfor being electrically connected to one another but they are protectedfrom damage due to strain.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gas and watertightcable connector which shall be sufficiently rugged to withstand adverseoperating conditions yet which may be quickly and easily joined orseparated.

With the above and other objects in view which will become readilyapparent as the description proceeds, this invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantiallyas hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appendedclaim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodimentof the hereindisclosed inven tion may be made as come within the scopeof the claim.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred physical embodiment ofthe invention constructed in accordance with the principles thereof andin which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view partly in cross-section of a cableconnector embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the right end of the connectorshown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in which like numerals of reference areemployed to designate like parts throughout the several views, there isillustrated a cable connector it) comprising a male connector member 11,a female connector member 12, and a coupling member 13 intended formaking connection between the three conductors 14 of cable 15 and thethree conductors of a second cable (not shown) which are afiixed to themale connector member 11. Although a three-conductor cable is shown forthe purposes of illustration, the cables may have any desired number ofconductors. The conductors 14 are individually enclosed in a sheath 16of suitable insulating material such as natural or synthetic rubber. Thecable 15 is flexible and, as illustrated more particularly in FIG. 1,includes an inner insulation jacket 17 enclosing the sheathed conductors11.4, a layer of armor 18, and an outer insulation jacket 19.

The outer jacket 19 is removed from the cable end which is to beconnected into the assembly. A molding ring or sleeve 21 having a bore22 therein is pressed "onto the cable 15. About midway on the ring 21the bore 22 has an annular shoulder 23 and a bore section 24 of reduceddiameter extending to the other end of the ring. The ring 21 is pressedonto the cable until the shoulder 23 abuts the outer jacket 19 stillremaining on the cable. The cable armor 18 is then folded back over theprotruding end portion 25 of ring 21 and is secured thereon by anannular clamping shell 26 having a flange 27 defining a reduced opening28 in one end thereof for passage therethrough of the inner jacket 17 ofcable 15. A compound of an appropriate elastic material such as, forexample, neoprene, is then pressure molded over the ring 21 and cable 15to provide a molded elastic coat 29, sealing the outer jacket 19 andprotecting the cable armor 118.

The female connector member 12 comprises a two-part cylindrically-shapedmulti-conductor housing including insulator members 31 and 32,fabricated from a suitable plastic material such as, for example, adiallyl phthalate compound with a glass fiber filler. The innerinsulator rh ember 31 is provided with three bores 33 and the outerinsulator member 32 likewise is provided with three bores 34 adapted foralignment therewith. A socket contact pin 35 fabricated from a suitableconductive material is positioned in each of the bores 34 in insulator32. The sheathed conductors 14 are passed through a metallic sleeve 36,forming one of the principal structural elements of the presentinvention.

The sleeve 36 is provided with a tapered opening 37 at the forward endthereof and has an enlarged counterbore section 38 at the aft endthereof for receiving in close-fitting relation an insulating spacersleeve 39, the inner insulator member 31, and the outer insulator member32. The sheath portions 16 terminate within sleeve 39 and the conductors14 are connected through the bores 33 of member 31 in the appropriatemanner to the socket contact pins 35 positioned in member 32. The socketcontact pins 35 extend partially into the bores 33 in member 31 tomaintain the insulator members 31 and 32 in proper alignment, whereasthe insulator member 32 is fixed in position within the bore 38 ofsleeve 36 by a set screw 41. Rotatably disposed on the sleeve 36 is thecoupling ring 13 with a flange portion 42 thereof positioned between aflange 43 encircling the sleeve 36 and a retaining ring 44 of thesnap-type fixed within a circumferential groove 45 in the outerperiphery of sleeve 36, thereby permitting rotation of the ring aboutthe sleeve but preventing any relative axial movement therebetween.Thrust washers 46 and 4'7 on either side of flange portion 42 preventrotation imparted to ring 13 from being imparted to sleeve 36 to thusdistort it by torsional forces. Also disposed on sleeve 36 forwardlythereon of the coupling ring 13 is a thrust ring 4-8 having a an outerannular recess 49 adapted for mating engagement with any suitable ringsupport structure, an inner shoulder 51 abutting retaining ring 52disposed in an annular groove 53 in sleeve 36, and aforwardly-positioned tapered opening 54.

In assembling the parts, washers 4-6 and 47 with the coupling ring 13therebetween are placed on the sleeve 36 in abutting relation withflange 43 thereon, and retaining ring 44 is slipped into groove 45,rotatably fixing coupling ring 13 on sleeve 36.

The thrust ring 43 is now placed on sleeve 36, and retaining ring 52 isslipped into groove 53 to prevent undesired removal of ring 43 from thesleeve.

Each conductor 14 is now cleaned of sheathing 16 at its end portion andthe conductors are passed through the opening in sleeve 36, theinsulator sleeve 39 in sleeve 36 and through the openings 33 ininsulator member 31, whereupon the insulator 31 is slipped along theconductors and into the bore 33 of sleeve 36. The connecttions to thesocket contact pins 35 in insulator member 32 are accomplished in thestandard manner, and insulator 32 is positioned within bore 33 and fixedtherein by set screw 41. An O-ring 55 provides a seal between insulator32 and sleeve 36.

The molding ring or sleeve 21, the clamping shell 26, the inner jacket17, the individual sheathed conductors 14, the sleeve 36 and thrust ring48 are then pressure molded into a single unit with an elesticinsulating collar 57 such as, for example, neoprene. The unit isthereafter enclosed in a cylindrical casing 58 comprising twohalf-tubular shells 59 and 6% each having flange portions 61 and 62 onits inner peripheral Wall at the ends thereof and connected togetherover the collar 57, sleeve 21 and thrust ring 48 of sleeve 36 in a clamshell manner with flanges 61 being seated in an annular groove 63 insleeve 21 and flanges 62 being seated in the recess 49 in thrust ring43. Cylindrical casing 58 is encircled by a metallic band 64 which maybe a strap-type band or one suitable for being driven on the casing forthe purpose of keeping the casing shells locked tightly together. Theband 64 may be composed of stainless steel or a stainless steel alloy,or any other suitable metal. Although a single band 64 having a widthsubstantially relative to the length of the casing is shown, any numberof such bands of lesser width and in spaced relation could be applied tothe casing. With this arrangement the connector lit} provides a seal tothe outer jacket 19, inner jacket 17 and to each conductor, protects thecable shield or armor 118, and avoids conductor damage due to strain bytransferring the strain from the armor to the connector jacket or sleeve36.

The male section of the connector may be the same as the femaleconnector aforedescribed. Accordingly only a fragmentary showing of themale connector is made and this includes a male connector member 11having one end thereof externally threaded as at 65 to be received onthreads 66 of coupling ring 13, and a bore 67 within that end of themember 11 for receiving the rear section of sleeve 36 and having formedtherein an integral key or protuberance 68 extending inwardly toward thelongitudinal axis of the member for sliding engagement with a slot 63 inthe outer peripheral wall of the rear section of sleeve 36 to permitrelative longitudinal movement between the plug member 11 and the sleeve36, but preventing rotation therebetween. Three contact pins 70 in plugmember 11 are so arranged therein that they will engage socket contacts35 in receptacle 12 when the plug member ill is threadably receivedwithin coupling ring 13 and thereby electrically connect conductorsproperly fixed to the pins 74) with the conductors 14 of cable 15. Whenthe plug member 11 has been fully received in coupling ring 13, furthersealing will be provided by resilient O-ring annular gaskets "/1 and 72formed of rubber or the like which are compressed between the threadedend of plug member 11 and the outer rear wall of sleeve 36.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferredembodiment and has included certain details it should be understood thatthe invention is not to be limited to the precise details hereinillustrated and described. For example, some cables having no outer orinner insulation jackets, such as jackets 1'7 and 19 in FIG. 1, mayreadily be sealed with this connector by applying the mold directly tothe conductor sheathing 16, thus molding together the molding sleeve 21,any cable armor 18, the conductors 14, the sleeve 36 and thrust ring 43.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claim the invention maybe practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

A pressure-tight electrical connector assembly for armored cablescomprising insulated contact means adapted to be electrically connectedto the conductors of said cable,

a first sleeve member having a central bore therethrough for receivingsaid armored cable and an annular groove in the outer peripheral wallthereof,

a resilient coating embedding the end of said first sleeve memberreceiving said cable and forming a layer of coating material between thecable and said sleeve member to provide a watertight connectiontherebetween,

a cylindrical shell slideably fitting over the other end of said firstsleeve member to clamp outwardly bent portions of the cable armortherebetween,

a second sleeve member having an annular recess in the outer peripheralwall thereof and having a central bore therethrough for receiving in oneend thereof the unarmored conductors of said cable emerging from thecoupled first sleeve member and shell,

means for positioning said insulated contact means within said bore ofsaid second sleeve member at the other end thereof,

a resilient insulating material interposed between said insulatedcontact means and said first sleeve member and forming a substantiallycylindrical collar embedding said cylindrical shell and said one end ofsaid second sleeve member to provide a watertight connection thereandsecuring said casing to said first and second sleeve between, members.

a pair of half-tubular shells having flanges on the inner peripheralWalls at the end portions thereof mounted on References Cited y theExaminer said first and secclilnd sleeve members with said1 flanges 5UNITED STATES PATENTS being received in t e groove and recess respectivey t ereof to compose a cylindrical casing about the cylindrical 27152128/55 Swanson et 339*60 collar of insulating material and interconnectingsaid first 2827618 3/58 Chapman et 339-218 and second sleeve memberswhereby tension applied to 2870420 1/59 Malek 339' 177 X said cable istransmitted through said casing and sleeve 10 3124405 3/64 Massa 339*211X members between the armor and said insulated contact I means andstrain on the conductors of said cable is pre- ALBERT KAMPE Prlma'yExaminer cluded, JOSEPH D. SEERS, W. DONALD MILLER,

and at least one metallic band surrounding said casing Examiners.

